Here is a 10 part story about Iroh and what I learned from him and the teachings of the east.

The Tao Te Ching, Bruce Lee's works, and the teachings of the Buddha helped guide me to these stories. I added my own personal beliefs and analysis' of their wisdom of course.

I wrote these a long time ago, but I wanted to post these now, after so many people favorited me, so that more people would read them. Unlike other fanfictions, which are mostly just for fun, THESE STORIES ARE IMPORTANT!!

[I don't own Iroh, Zuko or Avatar.]

Gentleness is the key to survival…

"What?!" Zuko asked, holding his stance, eager to practice more fire bending techniques. Their ship rocked up and down on the chilly waves of South Pole. The silence of the frozen lands carried Iroh's voice to his nephew's ears with ease.

"Zuko…a violent life will have a violent ending. There is only so much damage one person can do until damage falls back upon them. However, a gentle man knows when to yield and leave a fight. And if you leave a fight, you live! You live to fight another day."

Zuko listened to Iroh, intrigued by what he was hearing.

"A gentle man knows how to make other people love him. So, should the need to fight ever come again…his friends will be his shield. Love will be his shield. And he will not have to raise a finger to win any battle. So, my nephew, do not put too much faith in your muscles. One day they will fail you. But gentleness can be used at any age."

Zuko looked down. His eyes softened for a moment. Then quickly became steely.

"The Avatar will not be so gentle when I attack him." Zuko fired a blast of flames into the sky. "So I won't be gentle to him either."

Iroh sighed. He knew Zuko's inner turmoil would not be fixed easily, but the prince was making it harder.

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